


It Won’t Last Forever, But Maybe It Will

by wishbear



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bill Denbrough Loves Mike Hanlon, Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, Endgame Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Endgame Mike Hanlon/Bill Denbrough, Established Hanbrough, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, Gay Richie Tozier, Lesbian Beverly Marsh, M/M, Maggie and Wentworth rule, Mike Hanlon Loves Bill Denbrough, Minor Patricia Blum Uris/Stanley Uris, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, The Losers are in Teens to Early Twenties, georgie is alive and well, set in present time
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:22:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24563803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wishbear/pseuds/wishbear
Summary: Fresh out of high-school, 18 year old Eddie Kaspbrak decides to skip the mediocre Derry community college and go live out his life on the beach in Gulf Shores. And while he knows he has to move on at some point and find a new life for himself, a boy named Richie Tozier is persistent on him staying and keeping the beach life Eddie is starting to grow to love.
Relationships: Bill Denbrough/Mike Hanlon, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 11
Kudos: 32





	1. Richie and the Souvenir Shop

Eddie knows he doesn’t belong here. It’s Alabama, the sun is blazing down on him and he’d rather shred his clothes and strip down naked than deal with the extra heat they were putting on him. He’s slowly regretting the decision of leaving the shelter of his small Maine town and trudging out to Gulf Shores to live out his beach fantasy. He hasn’t even had time to get to the beach, as he’s been working at the local (and only) Walgreens that Gulf Shores had to offer. He goes to his car and messes with the GPS that’s at least five years old and is probably from a garage sale his mother went to. He finds the directions to one of those shitty beach shops and decides to go with it. He’s strapped for cash anyways, it’s not like he could get a high quality surfboard even if he wanted to. 

He figures this will be one of those shops that has a tacky color palette and sells hermit crabs that die within a week. Eddie isn’t expecting much, though. He assumes he can make his way up to a real board with the design he truly wants once he isn’t so dirt poor. He just hopes no employee laughs at him for his dumb ambitions that may be too far out of his reach. He drives down the roads of Gulf Shores, taking in the views of tourist stops and condos he wishes he could afford. Not that the one bedroom apartment that he’s currently residing in isn’t good enough. The lumpy bed he’s had since he was sixth grade that touches both walls in his bedroom is really the highlight of his new life, as a matter of fact. 

He gets out and walks up to a shop called “Souvenir City.” The opening is a shark’s mouth, while the walls of the shop were the ugliest shade of green and orange you could possibly mix together. It was disgusting, but it was exactly what Eddie needed. A place like this was going to have cheap boards. He walks in through the shark’s mouth and opens the door. The hermit crabs he knew would be there are at the front of the store. Their shells were painted with different types of designs, from spongebob to flannel. Eddie doesn’t notice the employee walking up to him from behind. “Like the crabs?”

Eddie jumps and turns around. A tall boy with curly black hair and glasses is standing behind him. He’s in a tacky shirt that could be the floor of an arcade, and Eddie comes to the conclusion that Souvenir City doesn’t have a proper dress code. But the boy is cute, and Eddie can feel his face flush. He hates cute boys, because then he has to try to find the words to say to them. He smiles at the boy, who’s name tag says Richie, and looks back at the crabs. “Yeah, they’re kinda cool. I like the designs.” Richie smirks. “Well, I actually do some of the designs for the crabs.” Eddie stops and looks at him. “You do?” Richie laughs and shakes his head. “Oh, absolutely not. But I do that all the time to get compliments. Anyways, do you have anything you’re looking for in particular today?”

Eddie thinks of the surf board. The surf board that he’ll get from this place will probably break within a month, if it even lasts that long. But he has nowhere to turn, and if the cute boy was going to help him find the right one for him, he couldn’t find a reason to back out now. “Yes, actually. I’m looking for a surfboard.” Richie seems taken back. “Wow. I mean, you couldn’t look less like a surfer dude if you tried. But I guess we all have to experiment, huh?” Eddie scrunches his nose up and stares at him. “I thought employees wanted business, I didn’t think they tried to send customers away.” Richie laughs and pushes up his glasses. “I’m messing with you, don’t worry. I’ll show you where the boards are. What’s your name?”

Eddie thinks that if this were one of those cliche coming of age movies, he could change his name and go by whatever he wants, starting right here in Souvenir City. But he surprisingly enough likes the name Eddie. It wasn’t his mother’s choice, his father had owned a business with his brother named “Eddie’s record shop.” His dad told him that he was proud of his name, and Eddie would feel like shit if he switched it up just because of this new life he’s building for himself. So, Eddie would have to do for now, but he’s okay with that. There are loads of bad boy names out there, and he’s lucky to have one that he isn’t embarrassed to say. 

“I’m Eddie.”

Richie smiles again, flashing his somewhat crooked teeth that Eddie thinks may need braces. “That suits you, it really does. Now, is there anything in particular you’re looking for surfboard wise today? Color, durability, all that nonsense?” Eddie thinks for a minute. He doesn’t want the board to be too flashy, and he doesn’t want the colors to be great either. He’d be sad when it broke. “I don’t have a preference, really. And I’m assuming that one of these shops isn’t gonna specialize in durability, but that was a nice try.” Richie’s eyes widen, but to Eddie’s relief, he laughs. “Damn. You’re straightforward, I like that. And yeah, things are a little cheap here, but they’re also fun! Like, everyone always remembers these little shops whenever they think of vacation. They’re small, and you couldn’t say what you got from there because it broke so fast you have already forgotten, but you remember what it’s like to be in this hellish nightmare that people actually call a store. And it’s kinda neat. I mean, in real life, you don’t really get to go to these stores. But when you’re on vacation or you’re having a midlife crisis or soemthing, you get to go to these bad boys! And yeah, it’s a waste of money and the crabs die within a week because you don’t know how to properly care for them, but it’s also kinda fucking awesome. It’s the experience, you know?”

Eddie has never met someone that enthusiastic about a souvenir shop before, and he thinks that he may never meet someone like that again. But it must be cool working here, as you get a break from real life every time you step into work. Eddie smiles. “That’s a good way of looking at it, actually.” Richie shrugs and brushes the hair out of his face. “Yeah, yeah, I’m a genius. So, what brings you to Gulf Shores? I can tell you’re not a local.” Eddie’s cheeks feel hot. “How could you tell?” Richie laughs and takes him over to the boards. “The fact that your shirt says something about Maine on it. Being from Maine has got to suck. I should know, I lived there for three years.”

Eddie nods. “Maine was a nightmare, I’m glad you got out of there. I’m a little mad you were able to escape before I was.” Richie laughs and pulls out a board. “What about this one? It’s boring, I know, but I’m assuming you’re not gonna be sticking with this one.” Eddie nods again and grabs it, checking the price tag. It was cheap enough, and Eddie lets out a sigh of relief. “Yeah, this is perfect. I’ll take it.” Richie smiles. “Nice! I’ll get you checked out. Anything else you need? Maybe floaties?” 

Eddie glares at him, and Richie winks, handing him the board. “Thanks for your help, Richie.” Richie smiles and shakes Eddie’s hand. “Pleasure doing business with ya, Eds. Hey, maybe I could give you my number and I could kinda show you around here? I get off at 3 today.” 

Eddie stops and stares at him. He’s never had someone actively want to hang out with him, and this is much more than a surprise. Eddie isn’t sure what could be bigger than a surprise, but this is definitely it. The cute boy from Souvenir City wants to be his friend. It’s enough to give Eddie hope about this new future he’s made for himself. “That sounds great. I uh, don’t have many friends out here. Just don’t call me Eds.” Richie smirks and goes to the checkout counter. “I like it, and I think it’s a good nickname for you. I’m gonna write it on the receipt, like all the cool guys do in those cool movies. Except they’re cooler for doing it because they don’t say what they’re doing...oh well.”

Eddie laughs and pays for his new board. Richie keeps cracking jokes as he checks him out. “You know, you should go out today and practice with this bad boy. It’s only 11, there’s still a whole day left for you to learn some balance with the board.” Eddie nods and takes the board. “Yeah, I was thinking I could go out and do exactly that. Thanks, Richie.” Richie smiles and scribbles his number down on the receipt. “Don’t lose this bad boy. Please. I need more friends out here, Eds.” Eddie smiles and puts the receipt in his pocket. “Don’t worry, I need friends too.” 

Eddie walks out of the store, feeling better about his new situation. The obnoxious sun is now hidden by the fluffy clouds, which happen to be Eddie’s favorite kind of clouds. He looks around, then gets back into his car, putting his new board in the back. He puts his hand on the steering wheel and yelps. The wheel has to be as hot as the surface of the sun. He winces as he manages to put his hands back on the wheel and start driving. He was going to the beach today, and he wasn’t going to let work or his fear of embarrassing himself in front of others hold him back today. 

He parks in the beach parking lot and looks out at the beach in front of him. He clutches his new board close to him and pulls his shirt off. He feels weird, but it’s a good weird. It’s weird to see yourself take risks you thought you’d never be able to take. He runs out to the beach, his feet sinking into the sand with every step. He puts the board in the water and gets on it, starting to swim out further to look for a wave. It seems to be a calm day, as the waves do nothing more than lift him up slightly. He decides to try to get used to balance first. Eddie slowly stands up on the board, wobbling. The waves seem to be much harder to control when you’re standing, and Eddie falls off the board within five seconds. He swims back up to the surface, coughing as the salt water begins to leave a bad taste in his mouth. He thinks he may have the entire ocean in his nose now. He swims back to the shore, coughing. He needs water, but not the kind that the ocean decided to give him. 

He trudges to the car. He was out in the water for two seconds and already feels drained. He doesn’t want to believe that his mother was right by telling him that he couldn’t do it, but he’s good at giving up on himself quickly. Eddie pulls out his journal, eager to remind himself that he is not as weak as he’s been engrained to believe he is. He’s still coughing up salt water, and he was only on the board for a couple seconds, but it was only his first try. Eddie’s too hard on himself, and he takes every chance he can get to beat himself up. His solution for now is the small journal he’s decided to keep with him during this endeavor. He decides to write about the good things that are happening, and the things that he’s proud of himself for doing. Baby steps, he thinks. 

Good things about today (so far) 

-New surfboard  
-Souvenir City kinda rules  
-Richie  
-Richie’s number 

Things I should be proud of

-Buying a surfboard  
-Going to the beach  
-Talking to Richie  
-Getting Richie’s number  
-Finding a friend

It’s not much to be proud of, but it’s a start. Next time he’s at the beach, he’s not going to run away the second things don’t work out. Eddie is stronger than he thinks he is, and he doesn’t need to give up at the drop of a hat like he thinks he does. Sonia isn’t here to tell him he’s less than, and he’s finally able to be whoever he wants. He can’t just give up like that again, he won’t let himself do that. He puts his journal down, turns to look at the surfboard, and sighs. Tomorrow will be different. Tomorrow, Eddie is going to be Eddie, not Sonia’s Eddie-Bear, not Eddie from Derry, just Eddie. And he’s determined to make this work.


	2. Operation Boogie Board

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two days after Eddie gets Richie Tozier’s number, he decides to call him.

Two days after Eddie gets Richie Tozier’s number, he decides to call him. He was supposed to call him two days ago, but the overwhelming thought of Richie was enough to scare Eddie away for a while. Nothing against Richie, of course, just Eddie’s crippling social anxiety. His anxiety is exactly the reason why he’s pacing around the room as he waits for Richie to pick up the phone. There isn’t much room to pace, as the apartment is basically a shack. His fear of rejection and loneliness is a key player in all of this. He wants to make sure that he is the best he can be. Finally, Richie picks up, and Eddie feels like he can breathe for the first time in ten seconds. 

“Richie Tozier speaking. To whom do I have the pleasure of hearing from today?” Eddie grips the phone tighter, trying to find his voice again. “It’s uh, Eddie Kaspbrak. We met at Souvenir City a couple days back.”

“Oh! Hey! I’ve been waiting for you to call! What’s up?” Eddie hears every word he’s saying as a blatant lie, because no one has ever been that excited to hear from Eddie. Maybe Richie was just an eccentric person though, which may go horribly with Eddie’s tendency to be stubborn and on occasion mean. He’s not a bastard, he doesn’t go too far to think that about himself, but he’s not exactly the outgoing type everyone else enjoys. Nonetheless, he tries to imitate Richie’s excitement. “Hi! I was just wondering if you wanted to do something tonight. We could go to the beach or something.”

“That sounds great! I’ll see you at around five if that’s good.” Eddie nods, then remembers he’s on the phone. He’d lose his head if it weren’t attached to his body. “Yeah, five sounds good.” Richie hangs up, and Eddie realizes he has one hour to make himself into an interesting person that people want to actively hang out with. He knows that in all movies and literature the goal is to always stay yourself, but he finds that to be utter bullshit. Richie is not gonna like him for himself. An over the top eccentric person like Richie could not be friends with Eddie. While Eddie can be insane, it’s mostly channeled in scolding and rants about deadly diseases and unsafe work environments. He reminds himself that the person he is right now isn’t even the person he wants to be. He wants to be someone different. Derry Eddie was sheltered and led to be fearful of anything and everything. He wants to be different now, and tonight is his chance to start that.

Eddie is at the beach five minutes til five. He’s early, and he’s stressed, but that doesn’t stop him from digging his feet into the sand as the waves come to shore, soaking his feet. The sky is starting to turn pink, and Eddie stares at it in awe as he subconsciously lets himself go further into the water. His swim shirt is already sticking to him, and it isn’t even wet yet. His shorts are uncomfortable and he desperately needs new ones. But for some reason, he looks at that sunset and suddenly everything he would usually be so anal about turns into nothing. None of it matters, Eddie thinks, not when there’s a view like this. And he hates to admit it, but he knows when Richie gets there, the view will get even prettier.

He picks up a couple shells that landed on shore, not that he has any plans to do anything with them. He’ll probably throw them away when he gets home anyway, but for some reason he feels obligated to collect sea shells. He doesn’t even hear Richie calling for him at first, he’s too submerged in his own thoughts about the beach and Gulf Shores as a whole. He truly doesn’t expect himself to reside here for too long, as he needs to be more realistic. Living on a beach while having no college credit was something only the impossible could achieve. 

“Eddie!”

Eddie’s thrown out of thought. He turns around and looks at Richie, who’s already tearing off his clothes to reveal his trunks. Eddie wonders if it’s normal to always wear swimsuit attire under your clothes when you live near a beach. Richie runs his hands through his hair and smiles at Eddie. “I’ve been yelling for you! What have you been doing?”

Eddie looks back at the sky and laughs. “I guess I was a little caught up in the view, sorry. It’s nice to see you again.” Words are difficult and strained, but he knows they shouldn’t be. Not with Richie, anyways. Richie didn’t seem to care all that much, at least not like Eddie does. Eddie assumes Richie doesn’t overthink every word that leaves his lips, he thinks Richie is more of the in the moment kind of guy. Which is cool, Eddie thinks. That’s something he can admire. That’s something he wished he had. Richie grabs his hand. “I brought boogie boards, let’s go get ‘em.”

Eddie feels stupid, because he has no idea what the fuck a boogie board is. He has two options: play along or admit to being a fucking idiot. Eddie goes with admitting stupidity, because hey, it’s not like Richie will judge him. He doesn’t seem like the type. “What’s a boogie board exactly?” Eddie asks, starting to walk to Richie’s car with him. Richie’s eyes light up. “Oh my god, Eds. It’s only the greatest thing to ever have been invented. It’s fucking awesome, dude. It’s like the miniature version of the surfboard, actually. You get on it, wait for a wave, start paddling really fast when one comes, and the wave takes you to the shore. It’s great we waited until night to do this, the waves are usually a little more raunchy at night here.”

Eddie stops and stares at him. “I don’t think you know what raunchy means.” Richie stops and thinks for a minute. “I can’t remember the real meaning then. Oh well. What I mean is that they’re bigger.” Eddie laughs and rolls his eyes. Richie opens his trunk and pulls out two boards. One has Lightning Mcqueen from Cars on it, and one has Care Bears. “These were the best ones we have at work, so don’t mind the designs. Although I think the care bear on a surfboard on this one is kinda badass.”

Eddie laughs again. “Oh, I’ll take the care bear. I had a care bear when I was little, my dad gave it to me.” Richie smiles. “That’s nice. I had the yellow one. My mom was super into them, she’d help make them for kids who couldn’t afford ‘em. She’s the greatest.” As amazing as that story was, Eddie felt resentment towards it. Mostly because his mother wasn’t as generous. He remembers her ripping the arm off of his care bear at one point when he was nine. He learned by himself how to sew that day, and he thinks he may be the only child around that wasn’t surprised by the childish temper and behavior his mother had. 

“That’s nice. Your mom sounds really great.” Richie nods and hands Eddie the boogie board. “She is. Now come on, we gotta get you in the water.” He grabs Eddie’s hand once again and runs to the beach with him. Eddie’s face is red and his hand is sweating, but Richie doesn’t seem to notice. Richie’s long curly hair is bouncing as he runs, and Eddie’s surprised that his oversized glasses haven’t fallen right off his face yet.

Richie takes his glasses off and puts them with his towel. “You ready?” 

No. 

“Yeah, I’m ready. I’m cool.”

Richie laughs and starts to go out into the water. “I can tell you’re nervous. You don’t have to be! It’s just for fun! And don’t worry, you don’t have to try to impress me, I’m more embarrassing than you could ever be, honestly.” Eddie stops and smiles. “You read people well, don’t you?” Richie nods and pulls Eddie with him. “Oh yeah. My mom wanted me to be a psychologist. You wouldn’t guess, but I actually do have the brains for the job. But then right after middle school, my friend Bill moved out here. His dad actually owns Souvenir City, but Bill doesn’t wanna work there. So, instead of going to college, I work there. And my mom is fine with it, although she’s a little disappointed I didn’t relish in my academic genius. Which I understand, I know I was gifted with a great brain that I’ve never used.”

Eddie was shocked. Not only was Richie following his dreams, but his mother supported them, even though they weren’t the dreams she thought he would have. That must be so nice, he thinks. Having supportive parents would’ve changed Eddie’s life in a sense. But the alternative, or the Sonia if you wanna be specific, was fine. He’s just...jealous is all. 

Richie pulls him over next to him. “Alright, there’s a wave coming. Kick when I kick, okay? We’re gonna do this together.” As the wave comes rushing towards them, Richie starts to kick, and Eddie mimics what he does. Before Eddie even realizes what’s happening, the wave is carrying them to shore. He’s smiling, actually. Richie’s laughing from the moment it starts to the moment it ends. “Oh my god, Eds. Isn’t that great?”

Eddie only nods. He’s shocked again. He didn’t realize you could have so much control over the ocean. It was cool, actually. It makes him feel a little like Moana. Or someone cooler than her. Who’s cooler than Moana? Eddie reminds himself to shut the fuck up and turns back to Richie. “Can we do that again?”

They ended up boogie boarding until 7 at night, when it became too dark to even see when the waves were coming. Richie walks Eddie back to his car. Eddie goes to hand him the board back, and Richie shakes his head. “Hey, surfboard care bear is yours to keep. I have no means for it anyways. I like Lightning Mcqueen.” Eddie laughs and brushes his wet hair out of his face. “Thanks. Maybe we could do something tomorrow?”

Richie smiles and nods. “I’d like that, Eds. Just call me.” 

Eddie walks back to his car, smiling. He was the person that he wants to be earlier. He was open, adventurous and he even thinks he was funny. He gets in and pulls out his journal. 

Good things about today   
-Richie   
-Care bears Boogie board   
-Richie again because he’s really cool 

Things I should be proud of   
-Being me.

Eddie looks at his entry for today one more time before starting the car and heading home. Being yourself wasn’t the difficult journey Eddie thought it was going to be, not with Richie by his side anyway. Maybe Richie should be by his side forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so proud of this fic it’s my baby please read it I’ll give you a kiss


	3. Eddie And The Beach Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike Hanlon is a blessing, really. And Eddie’s about to find a couple reasons why.

Three weeks after Richie and Eddie first meet, Richie invites Eddie to meet his friends. And while Eddie knows there’s no logical reason for him to be so nervous for this, he’s still tugging on the strings of his old Derry High sweater as he searches for something, anything to wear to this beach party. Yeah, it’s a party, on top of all the other stress Eddie was feeling. His stomach is in knots, and no amount of Tums will fix it this time. 

Eddie goes with an old striped shirt and overall shorts. It’s going to get messy at the beach, and Eddie’s not prepared for the inconvenience of wearing regular clothes there, but that’s what everyone else will be wearing. At least he hopes. He honestly doesn’t know what these people will be doing or wearing, and his head hurts so bad he wants to sit back down and sleep for ten years. But against all odds, he puts his flip flops on and goes out to his car. The car feels like the surface of the sun, and Eddie’s hands burn as he wraps his fingers around the steering wheel, turning his knuckles white with the clenching. 

The drive to the beach is only five minutes away, which would be a blessing to anyone that wasn’t trying to mentally change everything about themselves on the way to a party. Eddie barely has time to get one trait down before he’s pulling into the beach parking lot. He knows he’s being stupid, there’s no reason for his legs to be shaking and for his nails to be making dents in his palms. Anxiety can be a real fucking bitch, he thinks. Eddie walks over to the beach and sees Richie with a redhead. A beautiful redhead. Oh fuck. 

She smiles and walks up to him. “You’re Eddie, aren’t you? I’m Beverly, Richie’s partner in crime.” 

Oh fuck was right, Eddie thinks. He has a girlfriend. Eddie has been interpreting the last few weeks very wrong, and he might throw up. He could very well throw up on the pretty redhead with the gorgeous full lips and face full of freckles. Girls are so pretty, but boys are so much prettier. Richie is so much prettier. Eddie wonders if you can kick your own brain when you’re being stupid. 

“Oh, I didn’t realize Richie had a girlfriend.”

Beverly snorts and covers her mouth. Eddie’s cheeks flush pink, his funeral being mentally planned as she giggles for at least ten seconds. “Honey, honey, I’m a lesbian. Don’t worry, Richie is still up for grabs.”

Okay, maybe Beverly just got prettier. Not that he’s in any way interested in her or any other girls, but still. As he mentally digs himself out of his grave, he smiles, heat practically radiating off of his face. He laughs. “Oh, oh! I’m dumb then, sorry about that. I make great first impressions apparently.”

A boy walks over. “Th-This must be the guy Richie nuh-never shuts up about! You’re E-E-Eddie, right?” Eddie nods and holds out his hand. He sees Richie blushing out of the corner of his eye. “I don’t talk about him all the time,” Richie says, pulling out a cigarette. “I’ve got better things to do, you know?”

Bill snorts. “Like what? T-Taking smoke breaks every five minutes at my dad’s sh-sh-shop?” Richie glares at him and lights up his cigarette. “I would really love it if you shut the fuck up, Big Bill.” Bill rolls his eyes and takes out his own cigarette. Another boy walks over to him and grabs it out of his hands. “I’ll take that. You’re supposed to be using those patches I got you.” 

Bill groans and stares at him. Eddie tries not to laugh at the height difference. Bill’s shorter than Eddie, and the other boy has to be at least 6’2. The tall boy looks at him and smiles. “I’m Mike, it’s nice to meet you. Please ignore my boyfriend, I’m really trying to get him to quit. I would try with Richie, but I’ve given up on him.He’s simply a lost cause.”

Richie sticks two cigarettes up his nose and giggles as Eddie shakes Mike’s hand. “I was so scared to meet you guys when I should’ve just been scared of Richie this entire time.” Mike laughs and pulls him over to two other boys. “Stan, Ben, this is Eddie, the guy Richie’s been raving about for the past few weeks.”

No matter which friend was talking, they all seemed to agree that Richie was fixated on Eddie since he met him, like when a kid gets a new puppy and doesn’t learn how to shut the fuck up for months afterward. Was Eddie as cute and shiny as a new puppy? He’s thinking he needs some new analogies. 

Stan shakes his hand and smiles. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Stan, Richie’s least favorite friend.” Richie walks over and rolls his eyes. “You’re insane, Stan the Man. He’s actually my roommate, Eds. But not for much longer, sadly. He’s got this girlfriend he’s shacking up with now. I’m hurt, really.”

Suddenly, a bouncy younger boy runs over to them. Bill stops and drops the drink he was pouring himself. “Georgie! Wh-What are you doing here exactly?”

Georgie smiles and shows off his braces, all in rainbow color. “I was at the beach with my friends and I noticed you guys were here too! That’s so cool!” Georgie looks over at Eddie and cocks his head to the side. “Are you new?”

Eddie nods and holds his hand out. “I’m Eddie. And you’re Georgie?” Georgie takes Eddie’s hand and shakes his for a good five seconds. “I’m Bill’s younger brother! I’m not that young though! He’s 18, I’m 12. I’m already in middle school!” 

Eddie slowly nods and looks at Bill, who’s downing what little of the vodka he had poured into his cup down his throat. He wipes his mouth and reaches for the soda to put it in front of the vodka on the table. “Hu-Hey Georgie, this is kind of an adult hangout. Why don’t yuh-you go back over to your friends?”

Georgie groans and steals a slice of pizza before bouncing off back to his friends. Bill pours another cup of vodka and smirks. “C-C-Couldn’t let him tattle on muh-me to our parents, wh-wh-which he definitely would’ve.” 

Mike sighs and grabs some punch. “Tell us about yourself, Eddie.”

This was the question Eddie has been dreading. There’s no traits about him that wouldn’t put this party to sleep. His feet sink further into the sand as he curls his toes around it. “I uh, I’m from Maine. I came here to stay for a year or so before I try to figure out something new. I like cats, and I like TV. And I wanna learn how to surf. Richie taught me to boogie board and I figure that if I can conquer that, I can conquer surfing too.”

Mike smiles. “Eddie, you seem awesome! I actually have a couple beach cats I’ve found that need homes. Would you be interested?”

Holy fuck.

Eddie’s never wanted to kiss a guy he’s just met this bad, but it’s so tempting. If Mike wasn’t dating Bill, Eddie would be jumping into his arms bridal style. Forget Richie and his soft hair and gorgeous eyes, Mike was beautiful and he was going to give Eddie a cat. 

“I actually made sure to live in an apartment complex that was pet friendly just in case I ever found a cat! Holy shit, I’d love to take one!”

Mike smiles again and grabs his keys. “Let’s head back to my house, there’s three cats you can choose from.” 

Eddie nods and follows Mike to the car. Bill follows behind. “Wuh-Wait up, I’m coming!” 

Mike offers Eddie the front seat as Bill reluctantly gets in the back. Mike turns on the car radio and starts to play Mistki. “What artist is this?” Eddie asks, tapping his fingers to the beat of the song. 

“Her name is Mitski. She’s Bill and I’s favorite artist. We have a deal that if she were to ask either of us out, we would dump each other to live out our lives with the goddess sent down from Earth. Bill likes to think he’s indie because he listens to her, when he also listens to Taylor Swift and Troye Sivan and sings it through the house.”

Bill acts offended and gasps, holding his chest. “M-Mikey, you’re so mean.” 

Eddie laughs and leans back in his seat. He really likes both Bill and Mike, they’re not afraid to be themselves in front of him. They let Eddie in like it was nothing, and Mike’s giving him a cat. Eddie’s wanted a cat since he first learned the word. He’s deep in thought the rest of the drive, wondering if it’s always been this easy to make friends and he’s simply never noticed. The worries of not being seen by Richie’s friends melt away as Bill attempts and fails to hit the notes that Mistki can. 

Before Eddie knows it, they’re at Bill and Mike’s. It’s not a big house, but it’s not tremendously small either. There’s a small garden at the front of the yard, and it has a sign that says “Bunnies welcome, bugs beware.” Mike unlocks the door and lets Eddie in. The house is ocean themed, which would be corny if it wasn’t designed by Mike and Bill. The light blue walls are covered with pictures of them from highschool. “We got this house the day after graduation. Well, Bill’s graduation anyway. I skipped a year. I’ve had this really well paying job for a year now and with the money Bill’s making at his own job now plus mine we were able to get this house. It’s not very big, but having a house at 18 isn’t too bad.”

Eddie nods. “You both are so successful...This is a beautiful house.” 

Mike smiles and thanks him before taking him to the cat room. Three little kittens are all fighting to play with the ball in the middle of the room. The smallest kitten, a tiny calico kitten, grabs the ball and rolls over, holding it in between her paws like she owns it. Eddie smiles and crouches down next to her. “I like this one…”

Mike grins. “Great choice. She’s the runt when it comes to size but she’s actually the healthiest and most vocal one of the group. She has a lot of personality too. I’ve been calling her Patches.”

Patches was the perfect name for a calico. Eddie slowly picks her up, and she starts screaming at him, trying to wiggle out of his arms to get back to the ball. “I love it. I think I’m gonna keep her. Thank you so much, Mike. Owning a cat has been a dream of mine since I was little.”

“I’m glad I could help. I’ll give you some stuff so that you can get settled in with her. Unless you wanna go back and party and take her home after everything ends.”

Eddie smiles and sets her down. “We should go party. I can take her home after. Thank you again, it means a lot.”

Bill laughs and walks back to the car with them. “No, th-th-thank you! I’m not a cat person.” 

Mike rolls his eyes and ruffles up Bill’s hair before getting back in the car. “He likes to say that he’s allergic, but he’s a big liar.”

Eddie laughs and pulls out his journal. Mike smiles. “What’s that?”

“Oh, it’s just a motivating thing I use to tell myself being here is a good idea and I shouldn’t go back to Maine. I write down all the good stuff that’s happened during the day and what I should be proud of.” 

Mike nods. “That’s great! I could never keep up with something like that, as much as I’d like to.”

Eddie quickly opens it up and scribbles down a couple notes. 

Good things that happened today: 

-Met Richie’s friends  
-Got a cat 

Things I should be proud of:

-Taking on the challenge of having my first pet   
-Making five new friends (six of you count Georgie!)

Mike takes Eddie back to the party, and he blends in like he’s been part of the group his entire life. Every day, Gulf Shores seems to feel more and more like home, and it starts to become unclear if he truly wants to leave.


	4. Heart Before Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie comes over to Eddie’s unexpectedly, but Eddie’s not mad about it. Not until he opens his mouth before he has the chance to think it through.

For the first time since Eddie moved there, Gulf Shores was faced with a storm, which made Eddie realize that his ceiling leaks when it rains. Being on the highest floor didn’t have the perks Eddie thought it was going to, and now Patches is using her voice to communicate the issues she’s having with her new bed being soaked. 

There’s only so much kitten crying Eddie can take before he loses it. She’s lucky she’s cute, because whenever he goes to yell at her for talking, she flops onto her back and shows off her belly, starting to purr. He wonders how a cat could master such perfect tactics for getting out of trouble. 

Eddie grabs a long shirt and puts it on as he opens up Netflix on his laptop. It’s a chill day, he’s got the day off of work and he and Patches can watch That 70s Show together with no interruptions. Eddie pulls the screaming cat onto the bed for the first time, and she immediately starts messing with the soft blankets. Eddie’s just thankful that she’s finally shutting up. He figures they could splurge for pizza today and just take it easy. Luckily, the leaking is only coming from two spots, and neither are in the bedroom. 

Eddie’s bedroom was lousy, but it’s where he spent the most time anyway. The bed touches the two side walls and his closet is in the living room, but it’s cozy, and Eddie doesn’t have to worry about falling off the bed, which is something that happened to him one too many times growing up. Patches seems to prefer this room over her room too. Granted, her room was the bathroom, but the bathroom also didn’t offer soft blankets and her father’s warmth at all times. 

There’s a knock at the door, and Eddie believes it to be the pizza. Patches starts using her voice again when Eddie gets up to get the door. The screaming cat noises couldn’t be drowned out by anything, it seemed. He hopes his neighbors don’t complain.

He opens the door, and a soaking wet Richie Tozier is standing in front of him. He waves half heartedly. Eddie tilts his head. “I think the pizza guy dropped off the wrong thing.”

Richie laughs and looks down at his feet. “Yeah, I’m not really sure why I’m here either. Maybe I just wanna pester you.” Eddie sighs and pulls him in. “You need dry clothes, look through my closet. And I really did order pizza, if you wanna split it with me.”

Eddie isn’t sure why Richie’s here. But Richie is pulling on the damp shirt he has on, and it’s obvious something is bothering him. Not once has Eddie seen Richie upset, as he’s usually filled with excitement about anything and everything. Richie has a desperate need to make Eddie feel at home, and it works. Richie was a good home base, and Gulf Shores was as well.

Richie goes to Eddie’s closet and picks out a shirt that says “Ladies Man.” 

“No way you actually own something like this,” Richie says, pulling off his shirt. Eddie turns bright red as he looks at Richie’s body, then turns away. “Yeah, it was a gift from my mom. She sucks.”

Richie puts on the shirt, which happens to be Eddie’s least favorite piece of clothing, but he doesn’t mind looking at Richie in it. Not a whole lot of people out there can make anything look good, but Richie can. It pisses Eddie off, because his eyes are drawn to him no matter what he’s wearing. 

“This place is small, Eds. It’s cozy though.”

Eddie rolls his eyes and sits down on the lumpy couch he got from a relative who he’s barely related to. “It’s a hole, don’t flatter me. It’s only temporary. I could have something bigger, but I needed a place that allowed cats. I wanted to get a cat at some point while I was here, Mike just sped up the process.”

Richie smiles and sits down next to him. The vent was blowing out cold air, making the room feel more like an igloo. Eddie hands Richie a blanket. “The AC is fucked. They have to come in and fix it, it won’t let me change the temperature.” 

Richie buries himself in the blanket. “It’s fucking freezing. Jesus. How do you survive here? I would be dead by now.”

Eddie snorts and pulls Patches up onto the couch after much complaining from the kitten. “It’s not that bad. It beats my house back in Maine. And you’re just a wimp. Where do you live anyway?”

“Well, I live with Stan in an apartment near Souvenir City. But he’s moving out, so I’m gonna be alone. It’s not a bad apartment complex. There’s a pool and a free gym, and my parents are helping me pay for it while I try to get on my feet.”

Eddie looks at him. No way would his mother pay for anything for him like that, not when he stepped on her heart and took twenty years off her lifespan just by leaving. Her words, not his. She was so devastated when Eddie left that she vowed she’d go out and find a new man, just to get pregnant and have a child that wouldn’t leave her. The fact that Eddie took her car and she still gets groceries from his aunt assured him that her pie in the sky ideas would never see the light. It’s not really even the fact that she’s written him off as a failure, it’s more the fact that she wants someone else to ruin. He doesn’t want anyone going through Sonia Kaspbrak’s motherhood the way he had to.

“That’s nice, Rich. Your parents seem like good people.”

Richie nods. “It’s almost hard, you know? I left them and I went off without going to college. My mom had such high hopes for me, but when I abandoned it all, she wasn’t even mad. She told me it was my life and I should live it the way I want to. It was the nicest thing she’s ever said to me, honestly. It sucks I don’t get to see her much now.”

Eddie is so fucking jealous. Richie’s mom sounds like a real mom, something he’s never going to be able to have. And he’s not going to get all pissy and tell Richie to shut up about his amazing mom, but the resounding feeling of jealousy bounces back at him at every opportunity. 

“Your mom sounds awesome. Like, really awesome.”

Richie looks over at him. “You seem upset. Did I do something? I promise, you never have to take anything that comes out of my mouth seriously.”

Eddie’s stomach twists. He really doesn’t want to open up about Sonia, but doesn’t he? He’s never been able to tell anyone, and Richie seems like an easy person to tell. Richie is one of those people that can start a conversation and befriend anyone. And he’s proven his loyalty, for when Eddie forgot to bring the soda everyone counted on him to bring last week, Richie ran out to the store and got it for him so he wouldn’t be embarrassed. Fuck Richie Tozier for being the friend Eddie never had, because now Eddie has to love him and try to be just as great to Richie as he is to him. 

“I guess I’m just jealous. My mom and I don’t have the most perfect relationship ever. For a woman who has refused to leave the house for thirteen years, she’s scary as fuck.”

Richie stares at him, and Eddie can tell he’s concerned. Fuck, being worried about felt so selfishly good. It wasn’t a bad worry, like his mother’s. Richie wants to protect him in a different way. And it felt fucking great. 

“I’m sorry, Eds. But hey, she’s probably on her way to the grave, so that’s cool.”

Eddie laughs and looks at him. There was tension, but maybe it was only on Eddie’s end. Their hands are close, almost touching, but Eddie’s afraid to make the move. He knows there’s a reason Richie’s here, and Eddie wants to get to the point, not dwell on his mother. 

“Richie, there’s a reason you came here today, isn’t there?”

Richie chews on his lip and adjusts his glasses. “Look, there’s this thing I’m kinda going through and it makes me feel really alone. And I felt alone for god, almost all my life until I met the others. And you. And I hate confronting my feelings, but I’m sure you’ve figured that out by now. I would rather deflect everything and pretend everything is great, because it is! Most of the time, at least. But there’s this...thing. And it makes me feel so alone. I mean, I know that Bill and Mike wouldn’t care, because duh, but I’m still scared. That’s why I’ve never told anyone that I’m gay before. Except you. Right now.”

Eddie feels the energy in the room change. The only sound there is is the unwanted laugh track from the show he forgot to pause in the other room. Eddie’s mouth gapes open as he tries to find something to say. He wants to tell Richie that he’s not alone, not in the slightest. He wants to tell Richie that he’s felt the same way for years now, but the only reason it’s been bothering him lately was because of Richie in the first place. Because Richie is beautiful. And he’s funny. And he knows how to treat Eddie right. He knows how to treat Eddie like a person. And that’s everything to Eddie. 

But he reminds himself that he’s simply not ready. The cold air seeping through the room goes unrecognizable to Eddie, as he feels he’s on the surface of the sun. His cheeks are hot, and his mind is racing, and his heart goes faster than his brain. 

“I’m gay too.”

It’s out, it’s finally passed through his lips. His heart rate picks up, and he wants to shoot up and run out of the room. But Richie grabs his hand and smiles, slowly leaning towards him. 

“I guess I’m not alone then.”

Eddie’s trying his best not to projectile vomit on Richie. 

“I guess you’re not.”

It’s silent from then on. Eddie doesn’t want to say anything. He feels almost ashamed, but he doesn’t know what for. Maybe it’s the fact that it took him so long to say it, or maybe it’s that he even said it in the first place. He grabs his journal as Richie answers the door for the pizza. 

Good things that happened today: 

-Richie came over   
-Pizza is cheap here 

Things I should be proud of

-Coming out (?)  
-Letting myself open up 

It’s nothing but a start, but it’s a good start. And he’s glad he took this leap hand in hand with the guy that’s slowly making his way into Eddie’s heart.


	5. A Storm A Day Keeps Eddie’s Dreams Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie wants to try to surf in the waves, but he keeps falling into the rushing water. But the more time Eddie spends with Richie, the more used to falling he gets

Eddie keeps to himself for a couple days after blurting out the very thing he’s been trying to hide his entire life to the guy that he may be crushing on. He wasn’t sweating it though, he figures Richie’s already forgotten and Eddie’s fuck up can be swept under the rug before it ever becomes a real threat.

Mike texts him a couple times during his absence, mostly asking about how Patches is doing in her new home. And while Eddie would like it best to have time to himself, he’ll always cater to Mike, making sure Mike gets a text back even if Eddie doesn’t have the energy. 

Richie texts him too, but it’s a whole other atmosphere now. It’s not funny texts that Eddie normally gets from Richie, just some thank yous and the occasional update on which Muppets Show episode Richie is currently binging. 

It’s the rainy season, and everyday has a cloud overcast with rain pouring down and leaking into Eddie’s apartment. He was tired of sitting in his apartment being rained on one day, and he figured that if he was going to be rained on, it should at least be outside. Eddie pulls himself up and changes into his swim shorts, something he hasn’t had the energy to do since his regretful day with Richie. He misses Richie, but he’s too scared to make the first move to talk to him again, so he hopes that maybe Richie is going to the ocean in the pouring down rain as well. 

The roads are slick, and Eddie is a horrible driver under pressure. The wipers on his car are barely working, and the rain punishes him by coming down harder and harder until he’s at the beach. He pulls out his surfboard and starts to dig his feet in the sand, looking out at the roaring waves that seem to be perfect for his surfing festivities. 

Eddie gets into the water and sits on his board, but it doesn’t last long. The waves knock him down into the water unexpectedly, and Eddie pushes himself back up, coughing up salt water. The taste wouldn’t leave his mouth anytime soon, so he would pay for his recklessness. He quickly grabs his surfboard, fighting the roaring waves. Eddie sees someone coming towards him, but the waves are eating him alive, and he can’t tell who it is. 

“You’re not the wisest man ever, Eds.”

Eddie smiles and pushes himself to shore, his face just inches apart from Richie’s. “Hey, you’re here too.”

Richie winks and shows him his surfboard. “Can’t miss waves like these! It’s only for pros though, Eds. You aren’t there yet.”

Eddie knew he was right, but letting Richie be right was like accepting defeat. “Actually, I’ve gotten pretty good.”

Richie raises an eyebrow and smiles, and Eddie feels his insides tighten up and fall apart all at once. It wasn’t like Eddie to feel this way about someone, he only really felt love for Patches. And sometimes Mike would bring over cookies, so Eddie kind of loves him too.

Not that Eddie loves Richie. He likes Richie, and he knows he likes him in a way he doesn’t want to admit to himself, but he doesn’t love him. That won’t happen. His stupid crush-that’s only lasting a little while longer-would never go that far. 

“C’mon Eds, let’s see you hit the waves. But if you’re bad at it, I’m obligated to give you a surfing lesson.”

Richie puts his hand out for Eddie to shake. Richie’s nails are uneven and short, a clear sign of nail biting. It was a nasty habit, but Eddie can’t judge, as he himself bites on his cheeks and creates nasty sores when he’s stressed. 

Eddie takes his hand, which is incredibly soft, and shakes it firmly. Richie pulls his shirt off and dives into the hazardous waves. It’s obviously not Richie’s first time. Eddie slowly follows, trying to swim out to catch a wave. 

A big one comes, and he stands up on the board, a false facade of confidence is put on to show Richie that he absolutely can handle this. He falls off the board though, and almost lets himself be sucked right into the wave. He bounces back up though, coughing up a whole new storm that was probably worse than the one already going on. 

He pulls himself out of the water and watches as Richie laughs his ass off at him. Eddie can feel himself getting angry, like was he supposed to be able to handle a wave like that? The storm clouds seem to get darker as Eddie’s rage builds up, but Eddie knows he can’t go off on Richie.

Richie catches the next wave, riding his surfboard in almost all the way to the shore. Richie’s obviously not the greatest surfer Gulf Shores has ever seen, but he knows his way around the board. Eddie thinks he might prefer boogie boarding to this whole surfing thing anyways, because he watches Richie, and he sees that it’s supposed to be fun. For Eddie, it’s more like biting off a hangnail. It’s tricky, it’s pain in the ass, and in the end is the pain worth it? Eddie looks at his board, which looks pathetic compared to everyone else’s. The rain falls down on him, and Eddie starts to believe it might be symbolism. Maybe it’s time to give up this dream that was never going to last anyways. 

God, he’s pathetic. He tried to surf twice and he’s done. Richie makes Eddie look like a fool in Eddie’s mind though, and the constant comparison of him to others is not worth his time. Richie walks over to him. “You’re not as good as you said you were, Eds.”

Eddie nods and hands Richie the surfboard. “Yeah, you can give this to someone else. I don’t think I wanna surf anymore.”

Richie’s expression flashes to a face of concern. Why does he care? Eddie’s positive Richie has tons of surfing friends that would love to have it. 

“Isn’t that why you came to Gulf Shores though? To surf? Are you planning on leaving?”

Does Richie not want him to go?

“I don’t have any present plans on leaving, no. I don’t know, I think I prefer boogie boarding. I’m not very good at balance anyways. I like to quit things a lot too, so it’s not so bad.”

Richie sighs and takes Eddie’s hand. “As long as you aren’t leaving and you’re happy, it’s fine with me. I don’t want you to leave, Eddie. I know that’s selfish, but I’ve never had the connection I have with you with anyone else before. I mean, the day I came over to your place, the night of the party, the day you first came into the shop even...I don’t know, things are different with you. I don’t want to lose that.” 

Eddie could quite possibly pass out. Maybe it’d be like one of those cliche movies where Richie catches him before he falls. Eddie has never been a romantic, not before Richie. This crush that has been building itself up for weeks was obviously not going away anytime soon, it has planted a seed in Eddie’s heart and it was going to grow until Eddie’s heart exploded right out of his chest. 

“Thank you, Richie. That’s a lot. And you called me Eddie, I thought you were against that.”

Richie laughs and lets go of Eddie’s hand to rub the back of his neck. “I can be serious, you know? I just don’t show that side very often. But I’ve shown it twice now to you, so consider yourself lucky.”

Eddie does consider himself lucky, he really does. He considers himself lucky that he got to meet Richie in the first place. 

“I’ll take your word for it.”

They talk for a little while longer, but the rain wouldn’t let up, and it was becoming unbearable. They say their goodbyes as Eddie heads back to his car. He gets in and grabs his journal, but he can’t think of anything to say, not this week. There’s always tomorrow, he assumes, but the crush on Richie keeps getting larger as Eddie’s hope for Gulf Shores diminishes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO WRITE THIS CHAPTER AND YET...it’s my least fave one yet. i despise this chapter but it’ll get better i promise i promise you


	6. Eddie Kaspbrak’s Decent Into Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the gays finally get a win :)

The days are starting to blend together. Each day is the same, where Eddie works at the local Walgreen’s that only attracts old ladies that could not afford to retire in Florida like they had hoped. The rest of the day after that is filled with Patches, Mike’s check ups on Patches, and the occasional Richie drop by. Nothing changes, Eddie has found a pattern to live by in this new home. Eddie doesn’t mind it though, he’d rather live in a pattern and stay safe anyways. The comfort Gulf Shores brought Eddie was indescribable, yet there was that nagging feeling that Eddie couldn’t let go of. He wasn’t going to be able to stay here.

It’s particularly warm the day Richie invites Eddie to the beach. Eddie’s sweating the minute he gets out of his car, practically running to the nice beach that kept him cool. Richie’s already waiting for Eddie on the beach, with a sand castle building kit in hand. Eddie hates how his stomach flips as he looks at him. He’s so cute, Eddie thinks, with his hair never done properly and his dorky smile that’s adorably crooked. Eddie could give you a thousand reasons why he likes Richie, but not a single reason as to why he should tell Richie any of it. 

“Hello, Eds. I’m glad you made it. I got you a sand castle building set! And I thought we could boogie board again today. You brought the care bear boogie board, correct?” 

Eddie laughs and holds up the ridiculous board. “How could I forget? You only sent me ten reminder texts.”

Richie smiles and hands Eddie a pepsi. “I also thought we could pick up Pizza Hut for lunch and have a beach picnic. We don’t have to, but I thought we could spend the whole day here since it’s your day off.”

It’s nothing different from the usual things Richie does to make Eddie smile, but it feels different. Eddie feels as if there’s a shift in their dynamic. He doesn’t want to jump to conclusions, because god knows he’s probably wrong, but maybe it’s because Richie is trying more for Eddie. He’s trying to impress him maybe, or trying to get Eddie look at him. Eddie’s never been good at reading people, so he takes his thoughts with a grain of salt, but he thinks Richie may want his attention now more than ever. 

The waves are calm, and Richie’s got his arm slung around Eddie’s shoulders. It’s friendly, it’s comforting, and it isn’t new anymore. Eddie has finally figured out that he doesn’t have to tiptoe around Richie, that he can be his ridiculous self and Richie won’t care. Because Richie and Eddie are best friends now, Richie said it himself one late night on the beach. And while Eddie will forever have his fears, he knows Richie loves him, in one form or another, and he’ll never have to hide himself from him. 

They spend the whole day there. The Pizza Hut picnic was great, Eddie ate all of the breadsticks before Richie could even think to grab one. They got ice cream, and Eddie found out that Richie loves everything cotton candy. Richie found out Eddie likes everything cherry. They also went boogie boarding again, and while Richie will never admit it, Eddie was better than him. They spent the whole day there, filling up on junk food and taking advantage of the ocean waters, which had never felt better. Everything was so natural, Richie was the one thing Eddie’s ever been sure of. Because Eddie could have complained about so many things today, like the heat that ended up giving him a terrible sunburn, or the fact that the beach was entirely overcrowded, but with Richie, none of that meant anything. 

With Richie there, there was nothing to complain about. How could you complain when you’re standing in front of the guy that still watches The Muppets Show? How are you angry when you’re boogie boarding with the guy that used to pronounce yellow as yelloo when he was a kid? How could you be unhappy while in the presence of Richie Tozier?

The sun is finally starting to set when Eddie starts chasing Richie around the beach that has finally been emptied out by the tourists. Richie laughs and runs as quick as he can, throwing up sand into Eddie’s face with every step. 

“You’re a goner, Tozier!” Eddie exclaims, picking up speed. He was a track kid in highschool, something that came in handy with the dreaded mile run in PE and the occasional game of tag, you’re it! 

Richie’s starting to fumble, and Eddie can tell he’s going to give up soon. Eddie finally grabs him and playfully throws him down into the sand, laughing. “Got ya! Told you I could outrun you!”

Richie stares up at him and laughs, trying to catch his breath. “You got me, Eds...Now are you gonna keep me pinned like this?”

Eddie’s on top of Richie, staring into his eyes. There’s never been a better moment in Eddie Kaspbrak’s life. The oh shit, I’m actually in love moment is so much better than any movie ever told him. Because Richie’s staring back at him, and Eddie’s never been filled with so much love in his entire life. He leans down and kisses Richie, like every fear he’s ever had washed off of him in the ocean. 

It takes them a moment to get it together, but soon enough Richie’s hands are going through Eddie’s hair as he pulls Eddie closer to him. Eddie and Richie’s lips go together well, although there’s sand mixed in and Richie’s lips are somewhat chapped. But Eddie doesn’t mind, he never will. This kiss is everything to him, and he’d be an idiot if he didn’t cherish every aspect of it. 

Eddie’s the one to pull away though, and there’s a soft gasp that comes out of his mouth afterwards. “I didn’t expect you to kiss me back.”

“I didn’t expect you to kiss me at all, so thank you, Eds.”

Eddie laughs, and it’s one of those Eddie laughs that you can’t get enough of. Richie’s smile grows as he plays with Eddie’s hair. “We should have beach days more often.”

Eddie nods in agreement and gets up, helping them both out of the awkward position. “I’d like that. Maybe tomorrow after my shift we can meet up again.”

“Yeah, it’s a date.”

Eddie’s heart almost explodes after hearing that, but he only smiles and walks to his car. Should they have done more? Did Eddie leave too early? Eddie pushes that shit to the back of his mind, because right now, all he should be thinking about is the fact that he kissed Richie Tozier. 

And Richie Tozier kissed back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> these bitches gay! good for them!


	7. Uh Oh! Richie's in Love!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie visits Richie's apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAA!! a richie centric chapter! this chapter is a little filler, because the final chapters are going to be looooong. this story is less than five chapters away from being complete, i'm excited! sorry for disappearing for so long, updates should be more frequent now.

Richie’s gotta stop watching the same ten muppets show episodes on loop.

His eyes are glued to the television, taking in the comfort and love the muppets always gave him, ever since he was little. Nothing was wrong. In fact, everything is just right. Just last night, the guy Richie had been falling for for weeks kissed him. 

Nicest thing about it was that Richie didn’t have to initiate it. 

But the only issue was the anxiety that was flooding his body. He wanted to call Eddie, ask him what he wants, but he’s so scared. He’s never dated anyone, although he’s had plenty of crushes in the past.

Crushes hit Richie like a wave he fails to surf on. They happen quickly, and once it’s over, he feels absolutely miserable. He didn’t expect his adoration for Eddie to be any different, but it was. Eddie made Richie feel things he didn’t know he could feel. Eddie was wise, he had a mouth that went almost as fast as Richie’s, and he treated Richie well. He has always had a tendency to fall for people that are nice to him though, but he knew this was different. 

He gets a call from Eddie at around 10 am. Richie still used ringtones, so his apartment started to blast Elton John as he scrambled for his phone. He walked outside to his balcony, overlooking the almost green colored water from the Gulf.

“Richie Tozier at your service. To whom do I owe the pleasure of speaking to?”

(He knew full well it was Eddie. Eddie’s the only one who has his very own and very special Richie Tozier ringtone. No one else would get an Elton song.)

“It’s me...Would it be alright if I came over?”

This was the day Richie was dreading. To some extent, he had to keep his apartment normal. But where he was given creativity privilege, he had gone absolutely batshit insane. 

Richie had a muppets phase. While it still goes strong to this day, there was a point in his life where he had to have every piece of muppets-related apparel. His apartment was filled with muppets plushies, which was great when he didn’t have a potential boyfriend coming over.

And his room? Filled with dead plants he couldn’t keep alive and weird Halloween decorations he kept up every year. The kitchen was also Winnie The Pooh themed, which had been another phase Richie had gone through. The bathroom was filled to the brim with tie dye tapestries. His balcony was the only somewhat normal part of his apartment, but it would be pretty damn hard to keep Eddie out there.

But he’d never send him away. And besides, this could be a test. Eddie was going to find out about Richie’s strange interests at some point, now he could see what Eddie truly thought of him. 

“Oh, uh, of course! But you told me you have a shift today.”

“I called in sick. I’m not actually sick, I’m just dealing with some shit. You always help though.”

Richie’s heart is about to beat out of his chest like a looney tunes cartoon. “I am pretty great, aren’t I?”

Eddie scoffs. “You’re a pain in my ass.”

Richie smiles. “But in all seriousness, come on over. I’ll order you pizza.”

Eddie laughs. Richie thinks he’s going to die. “All you do is get me pizza, Rich!”

“Well it makes you happy! So get your butt over here!”

Eddie laughs again and hangs up as Richie smiles to himself. The enticement of pizza could also distract Eddie from the apartment of long lost interests. Richie sits on the somewhat lumpy couch and orders the pizza as he waits for Eddie to arrive. He clicks his tongue subconsciously as he turns on something more grown up. The Unus Annus channel is technically more grown up than the muppets, at least.

Eddie arrives shortly after. Richie opens the door for him and feels his face start to burn up just at the sight of the other boy. Eddie has a hawaiian shirt on, and Richie figures out it’s the one he left at the beach during one of their get-togethers. 

“I stole your shirt, hope that’s okay.”

The yellow and purple pattern makes Eddie’s face glow. 

“I guess I can allow that.”

Eddie walks in and starts looking around. Richie feels himself cringe as Eddie picks up a small care bear from one of the shelves. “You like care bears too?”

Richie nods. “My uh--my ma used to make them herself for kids on our street who were too poor to buy them. She liked them a lot, so she used to get me a bunch.”

Eddie smiles. “My dad liked ‘em too. They always remind me of better times.”

He keeps wandering around as Richie awkwardly follows. After scouring through the webkinz, muppets, and stash of beanie babies, Eddie turns to him. “Your apartment is fucking awesome, dude.”

Richie sighs in relief. “Thank god, I was scared you’d hate it.”

“I love it! I love the vhs tapes lined on the wall, I love that you turned an old mac computer into a fishtank, and I love the more childish things about it too. We’re all expected to grow up faster than we should, I’m glad you haven’t fallen victim to that completely.”

Richie blinks and smiles. “You understand me perfectly, man.”

“Don’t say man, you sound painfully heterosexual.”

Richie laughs and sits back down on the couch. Eddie sits next to him, and they’re almost touching. Richie hesitates, but slowly puts his arm around Eddie. Thankfully, in response, Eddie scoots closer to him and rests his head on his shoulder. 

“I might be getting evicted,” Eddie says quietly. 

“What?”

Eddie grabs Richie’s hand and plays with his fingers, specifically the rings on them. “Patches is loud as shit. They’re gonna evict me if I don’t get her to shut the fuck up. But I don’t wanna leave. For so long I thought I didn’t belong here. I thought that I was destined to go back to Maine and write this off as just a fun experience. And then I kissed you, and I realized that if I didn’t have you, the other losers, and the beach every day of my life I was going to spend the rest of my life painfully and utterly miserable.”

Richie grabs Eddie’s face. “Don’t worry. You’re not going anywhere. If they evict you, you’ll stay here. You and Patches are more than welcome here. And if you don’t wanna stay here, Mike and Bill have a guest room at their house I’m sure they’d let you stay in.”

Eddie smiles. “You really shouldn’t be allowed to be this good at making me happy. Idiot.”

Richie smiles back and kisses Eddie’s forehead. “What are boyfriends for--wait, we haven’t discussed that yet. Uh, do you wanna be my boyfriend?”

Eddie laughs and strokes his hair. “I really, really do.”

Richie knows it would be dumb to call his mom in that very moment, but boy he’s tempted. 

‘Mom, it finally happened! Surfboard boy is my boyfriend!’  
He sticks to admiring Eddie’s features. 

Eddie sticks his tongue out at him. “You’re staring!”

Richie turns bright red and looks back at the tv. Eddie laughs and kisses his cheek. “You’re cute when you’re flustered.”

Richie smiles. “Shut up you ass and watch the tv.”


End file.
